\n\t 
My friend, BettyWriter is in town, so we went out for a couple drinks to catch up and put together a game plan for our trip to SXSW next month. We caught up at Medici in “Uptown” Normal, because they usually have a pretty good beer selection. I have heard a lot about Smuttynose, and it seems like they’ve been everywhere lately, so I thought I’d give them a chance. The Big A IPA appears to be a big American style IPA, and a big dose of hops sounded really good.
Numbers: 9.7% ABV
Appearance & Aroma: It was hazy and dark orange in color with a good-sized, creamy, bright white head. There was an obvious big citrusy and slightly piney aroma to it.
Taste & Feel: The beer was very smooth drinking with a medium body. The flavors were slightly sweet, but mostly bitter citrus up front. There was a decent malt backbone, with slight hints of honey, to match the citrus flavors through the front and middle. There was a much bigger citrusy-pine hop flavor in the finish with a bit of a resiny flavor in the aftertaste.
Food Pairing: A big beer like this needs a big, flavorful food to match it. My preference would be a big bison burger covered with lettuce, tomato, onions, and a slice of sharp cheddar. I think the sharp cheddar cheese would stand up to the citrusy bitterness in this beer.
Overall Impression: I was definitely impressed with my first taste of a beer from Smuttynose. It had a solid malt backbone, but the star of the show is the hop flavor. It had a big hop aroma, followed by a great hop taste. Just when you think the citrus is a bit much, the piney flavors kick in and it finishes resiney. You could tell it had plenty of alcohol in it, but it didn’t taste alcoholly. I found it very comparable to Bell’s Hop Slam, but the good news is that this one is available year round.
My Rating: 
Recent Comments